Collapsible chair



Jan. 2, 1934. D. E. MCQUILKIN COLLAPSIBLE CHAIR Filed Nov. 6, 1931 2Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 6, 1931 y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 2,1934 UNIT STATES PATENT oFFics-f 8 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in collapsible chairs, and moreparticularly to a chair adapted to be folded into compact form foreconomy of space and convenience in carrying from place to place orstoring in a limited space.

This improved chair has provision for folding all four sides togetherinto a compact, regular, conveniently small and sightly form, and may beconstructed so as to be approximately one and a half inches square whenfolded. The length of the chair may be approximately of the length of acane, and may be carried as a cane if desired.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view of the chair in folded position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the chair open and ready for use;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the chair in process of being folded;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View through a portion of the seat;

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the same; Fig. 6 is a sectionalview through a portion of Y one of the legs and the seat;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the legs and crossbars;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken at right angles thereto.

The front legs of the chair are designated by the numeral l, while theback legs are designated 2, and each of these is constructed of anglebars,

Y preferably of what are known as angle-irons, although they should beas light in weight as possible. The back legs 2 are provided With backuprights 3 shown as formed integrally therewith and slightly wider thanthe back legs 2. As shown particularly in Figs. 7 and 8, each of thefront and back legs has the edges thereof turned inward forming guides4, for receiving angular slides 5 which are disposed within the lowerends of the legs and project into the guides 4. A similar bracket 6 isdisposed within the guides 4 at the top of each leg, but is fixedagainst lengthwise movement. A pair of cross-bars 7, in the form oflazy-tongs, is disposed between each adjacent pair of legs, whichcross-bars are pivotally connected together in the center as at 8, andthe upper ends of the cross-bars are pivoted, as at 9, to the brackets6, while the lower ends are pivoted as at 10 to the slides 5.

In this way, the cross-bars brace the legs but may be folded up to drawthe legs together uniformly into a compact form by lengthwise movementof the slides 5 within the guides 4. -Stops 11 may be provided in thelegs to limit the upward sliding movement of the slides 5.

The seat of the chair has side rails 12 pivoted as at 13 to the backuprights 3, and when these 00 side rails are folded against the backuprights, theyv complete a half hollow square. The side rails 12 are ofsufficient length to fit into the top of the legs 1 when the latter arefully extended, Where they rest on the flanges 14`and fit rigidly 65within the angular portions of the legs, where they are held down inposition by lips 15 engaging under spring catches 16, formed in the legs1.

As shown in Fig. 5, each of the side rails 12 has an inturned flange 17,which encloses a rod 18. 7"el The seat is made of two layers of heavycanvas, designated 19, extending around the rods 18 at the ends and areseamed together to` form a narrow pocket on each edge to receive therods 18 and are seamed intermediate the edges to form pockets forreceiving stays 20, to give firmness to the canvas and to cause it tofold together in accordion shape, as shown in Fig. 3.

The side rails 12 are joined together and are held in position by twobreak joint braces 21, shown in Fig. 3, and which are disposed at thefront and back on the under side of the seat, which braces not only givefirmness to the seat but guide the canvas in folding up.

The back, designated generally by the numeral l22, is constructedsimilar to the seat and need not be separately described.

When the chair is folded up in the position shown in Fig. 1, top andbottom caps 23 and 24 are fitted over the opposite ends and are held inplace by snap rolls 25 and 26, respectively, which engage in notchesformed in the back uprights 3 and the front legs 1, as shown.

The cap 23 is provided with a cord 27 to permit the chair to be carriedin cane or umbrella fashion.

To open the chair from the position shown in Fig. 1, the caps 23 and 24are removed, and by pulling the sides of the back apart, all of the legsspread out by reason of the crossed-bars between them and theconnections between these bars and the legs.

The outward movement of the legs to their extreme positions is limitedby the stops 11, which govern the sliding movement of the slides 5, andthe slides also serve to spread out the back 22 and the seat 19, afterwhich the braces on these may be tightened and the seat dropped inplace, as shown in Fig. 2, where the lips 15 engage under 110 the springcatches 16 to hold the seat in its rigid position on the flanges 14.

When this action is reversed, the chair may be easily folded up and thecaps 23 and 24 replaced, after which it is ready for carrying from placeto place.

While I have described my improvements in connection with a chair, it isto be understood that the principle is applicable also to stools,tables, cots, ory similar articles of furniture where the principles maybe found suitable.

I claim:

1. A collapsible chair comprising a seat, angular legs having guides onthe inner sides thereof, slides mounted in the guides, and pairs ofcrossedbars arranged between the legs and having the ends thereofpivoted to the legs and to the slides.

2. A collapsible chair comprising a seat, angular legs having guides onthe inner sides thereof, slides mounted in the guides capable of slidingmovement lengthwise of the legs, means for limiting the lengthwisesliding movement of the slides, and pairs of crossed-bars between thelegs and having the ends thereof pivoted to the legs and to the slidesvand pivotally connected together.

3. 4A collapsible chair comprising a seat, legs, each of said legsbeingin the form of an angle bar and having inturnediianges'on the innersides thereof, forming guides, slides mounted in the guides, and pairsof crossed-bars pivotally connected with the legs and the slides.

4. A collapsible chair comprising a seat, legs, each of the legs beingin the shape of an angle bar having inturned fianges on the edgesthereof,

f forming guides at the ends of the legs, a bracket brackets, the barsof each pair being pivotally connected together intermediate their ends.

5. A collapsible chair comprising legs, means connecting the legstogether for causing inward folding movement of all of the legs, backuprights attached to the back legs, a seat, side bars pivotallysupported by the back uprights and carrying the seat.

6. A collapsible chair comprising legs, means connecting the legstogether for causing inward folding movement of all of the legs, backuprights attached to the back legs, a seat, side bars pivotallysupported by the back uprights and carrying the seat, and means forcausing a folding of the back and seat in accordion shape upon theinward folding movement of the legs.

'7. A folding chair comprising legs, means connecting the legs togetherfor inward folding movement of all of the legs toward the center of thechair, back uprights rigidly attached to the back legs, a flexible backcarried by the back uprights, a seat having side members pivoted to theback uprights, and folding braces connecting the vside members of theseat together on the underside thereof. K

8. A folding chair comprising legs, means connecting the legs togetherfor inward folding movement of all of the legs toward the center of thechair, back uprights rigidly attached to the back legs, a flexible back;carried by the back uprights, a seat having side members pivoted to thebaclf; uprights, folding braces connecting the side members of the seattogether on the underside thereof brackets carried by the front legs forreceiving and supporting the front ends of the side members of the seat,and latch means for holding the side members down in position on thebrackets.

DWIGHT E. MCQUILKIN.

